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Apple iPhone 16 rumors: Everything we know so far and what we want to see
Apple’s iPhone 15 series came out in September 2023. Now that the hype for those has died down, we’re moving on to the 2024 models — and there are already plenty of iPhone 16 rumors and leaks going around.
Apple made some significant changes to the 2023 iPhone lineup, including the addition of USB-C, the mute-switch-replacing Action Button, Titanium bodies instead of Stainless Steel, Dynamic Island on the non-Pro iPhones, a periscope camera for the Pro Max model, and more. If you’ve been following Apple long enough, you’d know that most of these new features from the iPhone 15 series would most certainly be coming to iPhone 16 models. Additionally, what’s exclusive to the 2023 Pros would likely trickle down to the non-Pro variants this year. Keeping all that in mind, here’s what you can expect from the iPhone 16 lineup in 2024.
Apple iPhone 16 series: At a glance
- When is it expected to come out? You can expect Apple to launch the iPhone 16 series in September 2024.
- What new features could there be? It's possible all iPhone 16 models — not just the Pro ones — could get a new A18 chipset. It's also rumored the lineup could feature a new button, improved cameras, larger displays, and possibly the Pro Max to move to an "Ultra" model.
- How much might it cost? We expect the iPhone 16 to start at $799 and pricing for the other models to be around the same as in 2023.
Will there be an iPhone 16 series?
A better question might be: will these new iPhones be called the iPhone 16 series? This is not nearly as assured, although we are pretty confident that’s what will happen. It’s been a long time since Apple didn’t use a new number for its yearly iPhone upgrade. In fact, the last time there was an “S” series iPhone was the iPhone XS and XS Max in 2018, nearly six years ago. Since then, it’s been a brand new number every year, so we’re pretty confident there will be an iPhone 16 release this year.
What is the most likely iPhone 16 series release date?
- Apple iPhone 13: September 14, 2021
- Apple iPhone 14: September 7, 2022
- Apple iPhone 15: September 12, 2023
Apple has been launching new iPhones in September since the iPhone 5. Barring the iPhone SE models, September is Apple’s preferred month for flagship announcements. It was only during the pandemic that Apple went off course and launched the iPhone 12 series in October. But if all goes as planned and there are no last-minute manufacturing hitches, the iPhone 16 series should arrive like clockwork in September 2024. It’s too early for even leaked details about a specific iPhone 16 release date, but we’ll update this article as and when we hear anything about it.
What rumored specs and features could the iPhone 16 series have?
Apple doesn’t reinvent the iPhone every year, but it almost always launches significant changes. Here are the things we expect to see later this year with the iPhone 16 series.
Design, display, and buttons
Apple made several notable design changes on the iPhone 15 series, and we expect the company to refine these going forward. We think Apple’s newly launched Action Button will make its way to the non-Pro iPhone 16 models this year. As we said earlier, bringing Pro features to base iPhone models is a practice Apple has followed for years. The Dynamic Island on the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus (previously reserved only for the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max) is a prime example of that. So, if you prefer the classic mute switch over the new Action Button, know that it will most likely disappear for good after the iPhone 16 lineup goes official.
Apple could equip the iPhone 16 series with yet another new button.
If one new button wasn’t enough, rumor has it that Apple will equip the iPhone 16 series with yet another button. According to a MacRumors report and frequent Apple leaker Mark Gurman, Apple internally refers to this new button as the “Capture Button.” It is expected to appear on the right side of the device, and Gurman says it could be used to shoot images and record videos. The Information says that the button will be a physical button that will be sensitive to both pressure and touch. The report mentions that lightly pressing the button will allow you to focus, while a firmer press will capture an image or start recording. It is said that you will also be able to swipe left or right on the button to zoom in or out.
All-in-all, it looks like the iPhone 16 series may come with as many as five buttons, including the power button, two volume buttons, the Action Button, and the new Capture Button. The button is said to be in testing across all four models within the iPhone 16 series, so it’s possible this will not be a Pro-only feature.
For the designs of the base iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus, we expect Apple to stick to the same screen sizes as last year. Display analyst Young also suggests that Apple is only expected to bring high refresh rate screens to base iPhones in 2025. That means we might be stuck with 60Hz displays on the cheaper iPhones in 2024, which is profoundly disappointing, especially when you consider you can get a budget Android phone with a 90Hz display for less than $400 these days.
The overall footprint of the new 2024 iPhones could also be larger than ever
As for the Pro models, they could be larger than ever. Gurman and display analyst Ross Young concur that Apple plans to increase the size of its two iPhone 16 Pro models by “a couple of tenths of an inch diagonally.” The new displays are expected to measure 6.3 inches and 6.9 inches for the iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max, respectively, making the Pro Max the largest iPhone ever. However, the Pro Max name might not stick around. According to 9to5Mac, the top-of-the-line iPhone could adopt the “Ultra” branding in 2024, which we heard in 2023, too — so take that rumor with a grain of salt.
We have also seen a few dummy units around, giving us a fair idea of what the lineup will look like. Leaker MajinBu reshared comparison pics of the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro as against the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro, and the size difference on the Pro iPhone is very apparent year-on-year.
Sonny Dickson also shared dummy units of the entire iPhone 16 series, corroborating the difference in screen sizes, the vertically placed cameras, the Action button, and the Capture button on all four phones.
Dickson later shared better quality dummy units of the series, which you can see at the top of this section. Those dummy units show off the redesigned camera modules on the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus as well as just how large the Pro Max (or Ultra) is.
iPhone 16 series camera specs
Meanwhile, Haitong International Securities analyst Jeff Pu claims that Apple will add a 48MP ultrawide shooter to the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max. Ming-Chi Kuo also reiterates this with more details, noting that the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max could jump to a 48MP 1/2.6-inch sensor with 0.7µm pixel size and 6P lens assembly for its rear ultrawide camera. The output would be 12MP, so with pixel binning, the effective pixel size would be 1.4µm. If true, this would be a significant resolution upgrade compared to the 12MP ultrawide sensor currently used on iPhone models with a 1µm pixel size.
Other expected specs and features
Other specs for the iPhone 16 series remain under wraps, but we do expect the annual processor upgrade. Based on how Apple does things, the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus will probably get the A17 Pro chip Apple is now using in the iPhone 15 Pro phones, while the iPhone 16 Pro lineup could see a brand new A18 chip.
However, Jeff Pu (via MacRumors) has suggested Apple might change up its strategy this year. He claims that all four new iPhone 16 series phones might be equipped with A18 series chips. Pu also expects the chips to be manufactured by TSMC on its second-generation 3nm process instead of the first-generation 3nm process used on the A17 Pro chip. There could still be a difference in the processors that the non-Pro and Pro iPhones 16 models get. Pu suggests the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus could get the A18 chip, while the iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max could come equipped with an A18 Pro chip.
Meanwhile, the storage tiers of the iPhone 16 series could remain the same as the iPhone 15 series, but there may be some shuffling in RAM. Pu suggests that the base iPhone 16 could finally get 8GB of RAM, compared to the base iPhone 15’s 6GB of RAM. The iPhone 15 Pro models already have 8GB of RAM, so Apple would probably stick with the same for the iPhone 16 Pro models.
The base iPhone 16 could also make the jump to Wi-Fi 6E, finally.
The iPhone 16 Pro, instead, could get an upgrade to the Qualcomm Snapdragon X75 modem, as Pu notes. The base iPhone 16 could retain the Qualcomm Snapdragon X70 modem, which is present on iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro models.
We also expect Apple to infuse generative AI into its products in 2024. The company is reportedly integrating AI features in iOS 18 in partnership with Google, OpenAI (owners of ChatGPT), or possibly both. Given that the Pixel 8 and Galaxy S24 series all heavily focus on AI smarts, it’s pretty much a given that Apple will need to respond in the iPhone 16 series.
What might the iPhone 16 series’ price be?
- iPhone 15: Starts at $799
- iPhone 15 Plus: Starts at $899
- iPhone 15 Pro: Starts at $999
- iPhone 15 Pro Max: Starts at $1,199
In 2023, Apple increased the price of its Pro Max model by $100. You could buy the base 128GB iPhone 14 Pro Max for $1,099 in 2022, but the iPhone 15 Pro Max underwent big changes and starts at $1,199 for a 256GB model. We expect Apple to stick to the new $1,199 price and higher base storage for the iPhone 16 Pro Max.
As for the rest of the lineup, it’s tough to say if Apple will keep prices unchanged or increase them. We aren’t hearing about huge upgrades just yet, so the iPhone 16 series could also end up starting at $799. We’ll be better positioned to predict prices later this year. For now, though, it’s probably a safe bet to assume pricing will remain unchanged. You can be assured that Apple will not lower any prices.
Should you wait for the iPhone 16 series?
You can buy the iPhone 15 ($829.99 at Amazon), iPhone 15 Plus ($899 at Apple), iPhone 15 Pro ($999 at Amazon), or iPhone 15 Pro Max ($1199 at Amazon) depending on your budget and what you need. You may also find good deals on the new iPhones at major carriers like T-Mobile, AT&T, and Verizon, or you could pick up the phones for free with some carriers.
If you are interested in making the jump to Android, there are also plenty of great options. The Google Pixel 8 ($699 at Amazon) would be a great Android alternative to the iPhone 15, and the Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus ($1119.99 at Amazon) or OnePlus 12 ($899.99 at Amazon) will deliver a lot more than an iPhone 15 Plus. If you want an iPhone Pro model, the Pixel 8 Pro ($999 at Amazon) or Galaxy S24 Ultra ($1419.99 at Amazon) will really impress you.